In July of 2016 my brother and his wife came out to Kenmore to visit me and my household. While they were here, we went for a visit to the Woodland Park Zoo! I wrote about this on my angelahighland.com blog over here.
So here are the pics from that! Since I had to move these off of Flickr, I shall note here for posterity that Flickr user nisimalotse favorited the second tapir pic. And my friend Rod and I had this exchange about the Komodo dragon:
These were the first critters we saw as we headed into the zoo. These little guys were in the cage shown here, near the open field and stage where they have the Zoo Tunes concerts.
These were the first critters we saw as we headed into the zoo. These little guys were in the cage shown here, near the open field and stage where they have the Zoo Tunes concerts.
It was a bit of a challenge to get pics of these little guys without hunkering down next to them.
It was a bit of a challenge to get pics of these little guys without hunkering down next to them.
SO SMALL.
SO SMALL.
The wolves were some of the few big predators we saw being active. I would be willing to bet money this is because the elk were out, and the elk DO live next door to the wolves. A location decision I've always gone a bit "WUT?" about, re: the zoo's layout!
The wolves were some of the few big predators we saw being active. I would be willing to bet money this is because the elk were out, and the elk DO live next door to the wolves. A location decision I've always gone a bit "WUT?" about, re: the zoo's layout!
This was a tough shot to get given that the wolf was in motion and it had gone behind the trees. But back there in the back, on the right, you can ALSO see one of the elk.
This was a tough shot to get given that the wolf was in motion and it had gone behind the trees. But back there in the back, on the right, you can ALSO see one of the elk.
Two wolves for the price of one in this shot.
Two wolves for the price of one in this shot.
One last wolf because hey, I'm an Elfquest fan, I'm partial! I feel Cutter, Blood of Ten Chiefs, would approve.
One last wolf because hey, I'm an Elfquest fan, I'm partial! I feel Cutter, Blood of Ten Chiefs, would approve.
My sister-in-law is partial to owls! So of course we had to visit the owls. This was the one decent shot I got of one.
My sister-in-law is partial to owls! So of course we had to visit the owls. This was the one decent shot I got of one.
The bears got around this whole "hot afternoon" problem by taking much advantage of the big pool that they have in their enclosure. This was a wise decision on the part of the bears.
The bears got around this whole "hot afternoon" problem by taking much advantage of the big pool that they have in their enclosure. This was a wise decision on the part of the bears.
Closeup of BACK OF BEAR! HELLO BEAR!
Closeup of BACK OF BEAR! HELLO BEAR!
More back of bear. Because this bear was having a jolly old time in the water!
More back of bear. Because this bear was having a jolly old time in the water!
"Move over, Ralph, I wanna come in too!"
"Move over, Ralph, I wanna come in too!"
These are the otters in the pen next door to the bears. They were sharing the bears' idea about the benefits of playing in the water.
These are the otters in the pen next door to the bears. They were sharing the bears' idea about the benefits of playing in the water.
I'm pretty sure these were elk, anyway. I only saw them from a distance; I think we were coming back around on the back side of the elk pen by the wolves at this point?
I'm pretty sure these were elk, anyway. I only saw them from a distance; I think we were coming back around on the back side of the elk pen by the wolves at this point?
I gotta admit, seeing this guy swinging through the vines like that TOTALLY got Ray Stevens stuck in my head. The lyrics to "Guitarzan", in fact.
I gotta admit, seeing this guy swinging through the vines like that TOTALLY got Ray Stevens stuck in my head. The lyrics to "Guitarzan", in fact.
A napping tapir! Thought of my friend and tenant Annemarie, who loves tapirs. <3
A napping tapir! Thought of my friend and tenant Annemarie, who loves tapirs. <3
Spotted this little guy in the gazelle pen. Now, I'm no biologist, but I'm PRETTY SURE this isn't a gazelle.
Spotted this little guy in the gazelle pen. Now, I'm no biologist, but I'm PRETTY SURE this isn't a gazelle.
This is as close as we got to the giraffes. If you wanted to get closer, by which I mean, right up close enough to see it eye to eye on a deck, you had to pay five bucks a head.
This is as close as we got to the giraffes. If you wanted to get closer, by which I mean, right up close enough to see it eye to eye on a deck, you had to pay five bucks a head.
The problem with trying to take distance pics with an iPhone is that you _cannot_ properly zoom. So you wind up getting something that looks more like an impressionist painting of sleeping lions.
The problem with trying to take distance pics with an iPhone is that you _cannot_ properly zoom. So you wind up getting something that looks more like an impressionist painting of sleeping lions.
More impressionist lions!
More impressionist lions!
Monet Paints Sleeping Lions, #3...
Monet Paints Sleeping Lions, #3...
And Monet Paints Sleeping Lions, #4.
And Monet Paints Sleeping Lions, #4.
I'm pretty sure this Komodo Dragon was wishing it was in an Irwin Allen flick eating tiny lost explorers.
I'm pretty sure this Komodo Dragon was wishing it was in an Irwin Allen flick eating tiny lost explorers.
These were a different set of otters--the Asian small-clawed otters, I think? They were hiding in that little niche in the rocks when we came by, and they seemed generally vocal and cranky. They chattered a LOT at each other.
These were a different set of otters--the Asian small-clawed otters, I think? They were hiding in that little niche in the rocks when we came by, and they seemed generally vocal and cranky. They chattered a LOT at each other.
